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The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) is expected to propose rules to reduce water consumption in the Algarve by 70% for the agricultural sector and 15% for urban consumers, the president of the Intermunicipal Community told Lusa.
“The situation is very worrying. We are close to a catastrophic situation and we have to start saving water seriously”, the president of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), António Miguel Pina, told Lusa agency.
The person responsible for the 16 Algarve municipalities indicated that in the meetings that the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has held in recent weeks with local authorities, the agriculture and tourism sectors, it was decided that water scarcity requires a reduction from February of 70% for water consumption in the agricultural sector and 15% for the urban circuit, which includes tourism.
“If this year it rains the same as in the worst of recent years, we currently only have water until the end of August”, warns António Miguel Pina.
According to the mayor, the planned reductions in consumption would allow the region to have water until the end of this year.
“It's the possible balance and we all have to make an effort”, said the AMAL leader, who is also president of the Chamber of Olhão, adding that the proposal leads to the “minimum possible” for the survival of the agricultural sector.
According to António Miguel Pina, if the defined objectives are not achieved, “it may be possible to increase water tariffs for certain consumption levels”.
“We also have to define reasonable consumption and, above all, penalise unconscious consumers by paying fines,” said the mayor.
APA hopes to present a contingency plan with new water consumption rules in the Algarve this month, which is going through the worst drought on record.
Speaking to Lusa today, APA vice-president José Pimenta Machado admitted that the contingency plan will penalise agriculture more, but the quotas have not yet been defined and will be coordinated with local actors.
“This year, in the Algarve, we are going through the worst drought ever, we have never been in this situation, with the lowest levels of reservoir reserves ever and the same thing in groundwater”, a “consequence of ten years of drought” continued, said Pimenta Machado.
“The priority use is human use and agriculture will have a greater cut”, added Pimenta Machado.
The six reservoirs in the Algarve are at 25% of their capacity, 20 percentage points less than in the same period last year, with a total of 90 cubic hectometres less water.
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Stop growing Avocado
By Andrew from Algarve on 09 Jan 2024, 16:30
So if Portugal is in the 10th year of serious drought and we all know the situation is only go to get worse, where are the desalination plants and pipelines from the north? There's talk of supplying Spain with water whilst the algarve is threatened with cutting supplies and fines? It's not rocket science.
By Linda brighton from Algarve on 10 Jan 2024, 07:54
I am surprised. When we visited the Algarve from the central region last summer we notice how nice and green all the golf courses were.
By Stephen Clarke from Beiras on 10 Jan 2024, 10:31
With regard to our severe lack of water problems in the Algarve, successive Governments have known that this problem would happen over TEN YEARS past, but have taken no action to prepare for this event and taken no steps to ensure any measures at all in order to circumvent the situation that has now arisen. During the period of TEN YEARS that has elapsed five or more Desalianation Plants could have been built, pipelines could easily have been laid to transport Water from overflowing dams ( as occurs annually), from the North of the country to the Centre and South. No restrictions on the millions of litres of water wasted daily on Golf Courses throughout the nation ( this translates into billions of litres annually), more millions of litres are needed daily by the vast Avacado plantations now covering hundreds of thousands of Hectares, on which every tree in fruit needs 90 litres of water per day to survive. Even more millions of litres per day by the tens of thousands of Car Wash establishments throughout the country, even Supermarkets have them now. Billions of litres of course used in construction projects, which use and waste much more than is necessary. Billions more litres are of course wasted by Restaurants, Cafes, and the general population, who are all sadly lacking in education about using water sensibly. The list is almost endless and had common sense and rules been introduced to the saving of our water reserves we would not be in the ridiculous situation which can only be laid at the feet of the Governments that did nothing, and only now , when we are in dire straits are they attempting with wild, spur of the moment, ideas that should have been put into action. not waffle, during the last Ten years.
By Ernest Reavill from Algarve on 10 Jan 2024, 12:10
The first cuts should be private swimming pools
By Frank Santos from Algarve on 10 Jan 2024, 12:37
One wonder how they can allow new huge advocado plantations around Lagos and also why new large Hotels and appartment buildings being build all over the Algarve coast...
By Max from Algarve on 10 Jan 2024, 12:53
It will be interesting to see how they will penalise unconscious consumers. Perhaps they will use local actors.
By David from UK on 10 Jan 2024, 13:30
And yet Commercial Organisations are right now planting Advocados over extensive irrigation channels everywhere in Eastern Algarve and my guess is with Government ministers as investors !
By Chris Loynes from Algarve on 10 Jan 2024, 21:50
They can start by banning swimming pools from watering golf courses. The tourism sector is the largest consumer.
By Pete from Algarve on 12 Jan 2024, 11:02
I find it very sad that the blame for the water problem is being blamed on the Portuguese population (farmers) who only want to earn a living to survive. Most water is wasted in the tourism sector. tourists take three showers, golf fields are watered daily and swimming pools are filled. It is very sad that the Portuguese population has to become victims of the rich tourism sector and foreigners who all want a swimming pool.
By Pete from Algarve on 12 Jan 2024, 15:40
Avocados require massive amounts of groundwater. Make the corporation that is responsible for diverting groundwater for their use, pay (at least!) 50% for massive amounts of infrastructure that will assist groundwater diversion for household use . If they cannot, or will not, the so-called government must use eminent domain laws to start reclaiming the land the water thirsty avocados grow on.
By WENDY from Lisbon on 12 Jan 2024, 18:15